As the senior statesman on Chivas USA, goalkeeper Dan Kennedy has been through the club’s highs and struggles throughout his seven-year career.

With Wednesday’s announcement in which Major League Soccer – who acquired ownership of the club last week ahead of the franchise’s 10th season in the League – appointed longtime executive Nelson Rodriguez as club president, the Red-and-White netminder and former all-star says he is confident that they are headed in the right direction.

“For us players it’s great news,” Kennedy said. “Obviously, there was big news last week when we were told the club was sold, and it was important for us that there was leadership put in place right away. I think with Nelson’s experience in Major League Soccer we are getting a guy that’s going to make things bright at this club, not only for this year but certainly for the future.”

Rodriguez met with players and first-year Head Coach Wilmer Cabrera and his staff on Wednesday in Tucson, Ariz., where the Goats are wrapping up their final week of competition in the Desert Diamond Cup.

Rodriguez had already known Cabrera from their days of working in the League office, and the new tandem will surely work fast together to steer the Goats’ ship in the right direction. With 10 days remaining until Chivas’ 10th season opener at the StubHub Center, the club is currently riding a seven-game unbeaten streak in preseason, and will look to translate that success onto the Regular Season starting March 9.

With 14 years of league experience under his belt, which included stints as senior vice president of strategic development for MLS’ Soccer United Marketing, Rodriguez takes lead of Chivas USA with a wealth of knowledge. The New Jersey native also served as club executive for the NY/NJ MetroStars prior to joining MLS.

“We’re all excited, and it seems that it’s creating a buzz around the League too. Certainly there’s going to be a great opportunity here. The MLS has come so far, they’ve set up the standards that they expect the clubs to be at, and I think that appointing Nelson as our president is just another way of the League showing that this is an important project and one that we need to get right. For us players it feels like there’s something really special that could be in the making here.”

Chivas USA have missed the playoffs the last four seasons after their run of four-straight postseason appearances came to an end. Yet, with the club’s new manager and president at the helm, coupled with a series of off-season moves, Chivas USA appear as though their level of competiveness on the pitch and the front office has all the intention of heading toward the upswing during the 2014 campaign.